Champions League

Is Van Dijk’s defence capable of underpinning a title challenge?

Liverpool’s £75m capture of Virgil van Dijk made him the most expensive defender in the world. Of course, eyebrows were raised left, right and centre given the size of such an investment; a good defender for Southampton but one worthy of such an outlay? Outsiders weren’t particularly convinced. Fast forward to the present and the...

A Plan of Adaptation: Fabinho Edition

Having spent £40m on Fabinho this summer, some fans would’ve expected him to come straight into the starting eleven and offer a blanket to the back-four we’ve not seen since the days of Javier Mascherano. Crunching into tackles and feeding the ball to his teammates higher up the pitch, his inclusion would bring Liverpool to...

Jurgen Klopp’s Model of Low Net Spend and Vast Sustainability

Jose Mourinho used to be a manager that would fend off constant criticism; a natural winner who achieved monumental success wherever he went not giving a damn what anyone thought. His honours include four ‘World’s best club coach’ awards, two Champions League trophies, three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, four League Cups, three La...

Joe Gomez and the Need for Patience

On Sunday, Joe Gomez made his long-awaited Premier League debut at centre back for Liverpool. Signed from Charlton back in 2015 with an eye to a future as a Liverpool centre-back, Gomez has so far followed the well-trodden path for youthful centre back prospects at Anfield - playing at fullback. This path has often been...

Buoyed by Optimism – Liverpool’s Season Ahead

It’s a weird feeling not really knowing how to manage your expectations as a Liverpool fan. I’m 38 - a seasoned pro at this. However, never in my experience of supporting The Reds can I remember a feeling of such enthusiasm surrounding the club. Not Then, Not Ever Even after Rafa’s fantastic 08/09 team came within...

The Curious Case of Dejan Lovren

It’s good to be a Liverpool supporter right now. The team is top of the table after the first matchweek, and the opener could not have gone any better. The additions in the summer appear to be spot on, and the team looks truly up for it this season. But it’s not 100% sunshine...

Rating Liverpool’s Transfer Window

The new Premier League season is finally upon us, and after last season's changes, the transfer window slamming shut comes with it. Liverpool were the biggest spenders in England this summer, and fans and pundits alike are touting Klopp's men for a big season. But just how good was their transfer window? In: Following the Champions League...

Klopp’s Liverpool and Doing Things the Fun Way

Playing the Liverpool way. It’s a fairly common trope, perhaps an oxymoron when every football club seems to have a “way” these days – there’s even a “Norwich way”, apparently. For Liverpool fans, however, identity is everything. Football is bound together by its unique fan culture, the interconnectedness of the football landscape means stories are...

A Back Four Ready to Compete? – Liverpool FC Squad Analysis

Liverpool kicked off the season with a delightful 4-0 win on Sunday, conceding only two shots on target and rarely looking in trouble. The back four was among the youngest seen in recent memory during a Premier League game and played together like a group of players ready to kick on this year. Virgil van...

Liverpool 2018/19: A Tactical Preview

How do Liverpool play? It's a simple question, but with the arrival of both Naby Keïta, Fabinho and Alisson, as well as the progression of Liverpool's tactics under Jürgen Klopp since he joined in 2016, the answer requires a more detailed response than the question initially indicates. There are three main tactical phases in football:...